The Boot and Shoe Inn

Boot & Shoe in Flintham, just off the A46 between Newark and Nottingham, is bigger inside than it first appears. Walk down the side and you find a surprisingly large old pub, perhaps a former coaching inn, renovated beautifully. There's a log burner at the far end of the bar, and I was greeted by name as soon as I came in. The menu is an interesting change from standard pub food, and there was plenty I wanted to try. I went with the Redhill Farm tomahawk pork chop, served with rosti potatoes, grilled mushroom and tomato, watercress and a wonderful jus, basically a gravy. It was excellent. Redhill Farm chops can be too big and hard to cook well, but this one was done beautifully. The jus tasted as though it had been made with great care, perhaps bones simmered for 24 hours, reduced, then combined with red wine and reduced again. Very tasty, though I won't give away any trade secrets. Check out the beer before ordering: the craft selection is much better than you find in an average pub. I had half a pint of IPA. The food is freshly prepared in the kitchen, with local ingredients wherever possible. Coffee is locally sourced from Ferris Wheel The Town. If you want beans to make at home or give as a gift, they're sold at Madame Waffle coffee shop in Lincoln. I'd previously dropped into Kine, the excellent little bar and restaurant that became Pale, for a craft beer or meal. Then there was the White Horse, a pub that had sat derelict for years, where even sawdust on the floor would have been an improvement. It's now been restored under its original name, with excellent craft beer, food, service and local art. St Martin’s Square, where the High Street meets The Strait, has become a small food spot with the White Horse, Slow Rise for pizza and The Mindful Mug for organic specialty coffee. The White Horse and Boot & Shoe are also places to find specialty coffee. People talk about hospitality struggling and ask for government bailouts. I think places without high standards blame others, while passionate businesses that care about what they do, whether restaurants or coffee shops, don't fail.